Tag Archives: London

Winter sports fans will have a direct gateway to some of Europe’s top snow resorts from Stansted tomorrow (December 17) with the launch of new British Airways flights to the French Alpine city of Chambery.

The well-timed weekend flights will give customers easy access to some of the top snow and ski resorts like Val d’Isere, La Plagne, Meribel and Courchevel.

Each way fares are available for £49 on www.ba.com. Other fares which include ski carriage are also available.

British Airways started flying from Stansted for the first time in May this year, adding a fourth London airport to its network.

The new twice-weekly service to Chambery will complement the British Airways service from London City Airport which operates three times a week increasing to a daily service over the Christmas and NewYear period.

Luke Hayhoe, British Airways’ general manager commercial and customer said: “British Airways has enjoyed a very successful first summer at Stansted and we are delighted to launch Chambery, our first winter-only service offering skiers and winter sports enthusiasts a gateway to one of the best Alpine snow regions direct from their doorstep.”

Mats Sigurdson, Stansted’s Aviation Director, said: “It’s fantastic news for passengers that British Airways is launching an exciting new route to Chambery to serve the Alpine ski resorts of France. The announcement is a real vote of confidence in Stansted and recognition of the strong demand that exists across the region and will provide passengers with even more opportunities to fly from their local airport this winter.”

Flights to and from Gatwick give passengers additional options for getting into and out of London and the south-east of England. Russia’s flag carrier this winter also adds additional service from Moscow to Heathrow, bringing the total number of flights per week to and from the airport to 25.

Air Canada today (November 9th, 2016) announced it is further boosting international flights at its Vancouver hub next summer with daily seasonal flights from YVR to Frankfurt, and three times weekly seasonal flights from YVR to London Gatwick. Flights begin June 1, 2017 and June 8, 2017 respectively, and tickets are now available for purchase.

“Air Canada continues to strategically increase its European flights at YVR with seasonal daily flights to Frankfurt next summer and three times weekly flights to London Gatwick,” said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada President, Passenger Airlines. “The addition of our flights to Frankfurt, one of Europe’s most important hubs, offers customers a wide array of convenient choices and the ease of one-stop connections with our Star Alliance partner Lufthansa when travelling to southern, central and eastern Europe as well as Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

“We will be the only airline flying non-stop between YVR and the two largest airports in the London metropolitan region during the peak summer travel period with the addition of London Gatwick. By next summer, Air Canada will serve five European destinations non-stop from YVR including two significant hubs, Frankfurt and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Dublin, and on a code-share basis with joint venture partner Lufthansa Munich, strengthening YVR as an important hub that connects our B.C., Western Canada and U.S. routes to our expanding international network,” concluded Mr. Smith.

“What an amazing year it has been for Air Canada and YVR,” said Craig Richmond, President & CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority. “I want to thank Air Canada for continuing to grow its international hub out of YVR and delivering a steady stream of excellent new services. Air Canada’s new non-stop services to Frankfurt and Gatwick will further expand this award-winning airline’s reach into key European markets and will provide incredible benefits for our passengers, partners and communities.”

“Air Canada’s new flights from YVR to Frankfurt and London Gatwick are great news for B.C.’s diverse tourism sector. Already this year we’ve seen year over year European visitors increase by nearly 18 per cent. These new flights will bring even more visitors while creating jobs and spin-off benefits in our hotels, tourism attractions and businesses,” said the Honourable Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism & Skills Training in BC.

Vancouver–Frankfurt flights:

Air Canada’sVancouver–Frankfurt flights will be operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, featuring a choice of three cabins configured with 20 International Business Class individual lie-flat suites, 21 Premium Economy seats and 210 Economy Class seats. Air Canada’s Dreamliners also feature an enhanced seatback In-Flight Entertainment system which is available at every seat throughout the aircraft. All Air Canada flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access in Vancouver and in Frankfurt, priority boarding and other benefits. Air Canada’sFrankfurt flights complement daily flights operated from Vancouver by Star Alliance partner Lufthansa.

Flight

From

To

Depart

Arrive

AC840

Vancouver (YVR)

Frankfurt (FRA)

12:25

07:05 (+1 day)

AC841

Frankfurt (FRA)

Vancouver (YVR)

10:00

10:55

Next summer, Air Canada will operate to Frankfurt from five points across Canada: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Vancouver-London Gatwick flights:

Air Canada’s Vancouver-London Gatwick service will be operated by Air Canada Rouge with Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring premium and economy cabins. Flights are timed to optimize connectivity to and from flights within BC and the Pacific North West at Air Canada’s Vancouver hub. All flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access in Vancouver, priority boarding and other benefits.

Flight

From

To

Depart

Arrive

AC1934

Vancouver (YVR)

London Gatwick (LGW)

16:45

Tue, Thur, Sat.

10:25 (+1 day)

AC1935

London Gatwick (LGW)

Vancouver (YVR)

12:00

Tue, Thur, Sat.

14:10

Next summer, Air Canada Rouge will operate to London Gatwick from two points across Canada: Vancouver and Toronto.

Air Canada’s ongoing international expansion this year has included the recent launch of Vancouver–Delhi, Vancouver–Brisbane, Vancouver–Dublin, Toronto–Seoul, Toronto-London Gatwick, Toronto–Prague, Toronto–Budapest, Toronto–Warsaw, Toronto–Glasgow, Montreal–Casablanca and Montreal–Lyon.

In 2017, the airline will launch new international services between Vancouver–Taipei, Vancouver–Nagoya, Vancouver–Frankfurt, Vancouver-London Gatwick, Toronto–Mumbai, Toronto–Berlin, Montreal–Shanghai, Montreal–Algiers and Montreal–Marseille.

Last year, Air Canada launched new international services between Vancouver–Osaka, Toronto–Delhi, Toronto–Amsterdam, Toronto–Dubai, Montreal–Venice and Montreal–Mexico City.

Customers on the move with an iPhone can now pay for their British Airways flights using Apple Pay through the airline’s hugely popular app.

Apple Pay automatically stores any payment card details to make it quicker and easier than ever to pay for flights with just a swipe of the finger*.

Entering card payment details every time to book a flight becomes a thing of the past thanks to Apple Pay’s added payment safety and security features.

As well as providing an additional way to pay for flights, the latest update to the British Airways app also has a new upgrade offers feature – for both Apple and Android phone users – which enables customers to take advantage of promotional upgrade offers, through their smartphone.

Sara Dunham, British Airways’ head of marketing and direct, said: “Adding Apple Pay to the British Airways app means more than ever customers can take control of their booking and travel experience.

“Apple Pay gives customers the simplicity and flexibility to pay how they want with absolute peace of mind and it also puts Apple and Android smartphone users in the best position possible to take advantage of any promotional upgrade offers.

“These new features are proof of our continuing investment to innovate in digital and online to make the British Airways app, and ba.com, the best mobile booking tools for our customers on the go.”

Apple Pay and upgrade offers are part of the latest upgrade for iPhone users, which are now available for download from the Apple App Store and on Google Play for Android phones.

Earlier this year British Airways introduced a new bespoke app specially designed for iPad users with exclusive features, such as a new 3D globe to discover British Airways’ destinations and prices and a way for customers to create their own viewing plan for their flight’s movies, TV shows and music.

The airline also launched a new multiple boarding pass feature which allows up to eight individual mobile boarding passes to be viewed on one phone, providing everyone travelling together is on the same booking reference number.

ba.com is also being revamped with beta testing of new technology to deliver an even smoother and simpler booking experience, and make it seamless to use whether on a computer, tablet or smartphone

ba.com is viewed by over half a million unique users every day, using it to inspire, plan, and manage their trips around the world while use of British Airways’ Mobile Boarding Pass has grown by more than 650 per cent in the last three years.

Editor’s Note:

*: Apple Pay is currently available for UK billed cards and for British Airways flights departing from all UK airports. It will be rolled out to include customers departing from other airports flying to the UK over the coming months.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will resume service to London City Airport after an absence of almost eight years. KLM will begin with daily service and, in the weeks thereafter, increase frequency to four daily flights on weekdays and one to two flights a day on weekends.

London City is KLM’s 17th destination in the United Kingdom served directly from Amsterdam. The launch of service to London City confirms the importance of the United Kingdom within the KLM network.

Once again, KLM is strengthening its European network by flying independently to London City. From now on, passengers on this route can enjoy all the advantages of KLM services and digital products. And the flight schedule is extremely attractive for business travelers – Boet Kreiken – Managing Director KLM Cityhopper.

The flights will be operated by KLM Cityhopper using Embraer 190 equipment, which can carry up to 100 passengers. In addition to this service, KLM also offers its passengers various flights to London City in cooperation with CityJet, also from Rotterdam.

Residents on the Isle of Man were asked to put their local knowledge to the test this week as the British Airways island challenge took off.

The airline teamed up with 3FM Radio for a unique treasure hunt to promote the return British Airways flights between the Isle of Man and London City Airport.

Cabin crew member Mercedesz Szasz was pictured at several iconic locations on the island which featured on the radio’s website and social media sites throughout the day and listeners had to correctly identify where she was.

As well as the chance to win flights the top prize was return flights to London City, a stay at the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair and dinner at the famous Boisdale Restaurant in Canary Wharf.

Luke Hayhoe, British Airways’ general manager commercial and customer said: “We had a fantastic two days visiting some of the most beautiful parts of the Isle of Man. We visited local travel agents and also had fun with the radio station testing people’s local knowledge.

“The Isle of Man-London City route is very important to us and we always welcome the opportunity to get involved with the local community to promote the flights.”

British Airways’ First and Gold Executive Club customers travelling from Heathrow will soon have access to a new ‘First Wing’, creating a dedicated walkway from check-in to the lounges in Terminal 5.

The First Wing, set to open in April, will be located next to the airlines First check-in area. It will create an enhanced private check-in zone where customers will be guided to two new dedicated security lanes, designed to speed up the process of passing through the airport.

Once through security, customers will have dedicated access to British Airways’ Galleries First lounge and through to the airline’s flagship Concorde Room, where they can relax before their flight, making the journey seamless for those premium customers.

The First Wing, is part of an investment agreed with Heathrow Airport, designed to improve Fast Track entry in Terminal 5.

Courtesy: British Airways.

The new dedicated security lanes will also reduce the number of customers using the current North and South security, speeding up the journey for all customers, especially those travelling in Club World, through Terminal 5.

Troy Warfield, British Airways’ director of customer experience, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Heathrow Airport to deliver a new dedicated security entrance, direct from check-in to our lounges.

“Terminal 5 is our flagship home and The First Wing will significantly improve the airport experience for our premium customers.”

Mark Jennings, Heathrow Airports’ head of premium services and fast track, said “We are excited by the prospect of extending our Fast Track product in Terminal 5, which underpins our commitment to improving the experience of our premium passengers and supports our vision of providing the world’s best airport service.”

The First Wing will open in April 2017, when it will be assessable for the airline’s First customers, eligible Gold Executive Club customers and oneworld Emerald members.